Zenit
Zenit cameras (sometimes badged in cyrillic, ЗЕНИТ) were made by the KMZ factory near Moscow. Some models were made by MMZ (BelOMO). The original Zenit was an SLR based on the Zorki rangefinder. The early Zenit SLR have a specific screw mount, 39mm in diameter, sometimes called "ZM39" (or "Zenit M39") to distinguish it from the regular M39 (or Leica thread mount). If you mount an LTM lens on these cameras you can only focus at close range, not at infinity, due to the lens position. The Zenit 35mm SLR camera hails from the USSR during the cold political climate of the early 1950’s, the manufacturer was the KMZ established in 1941 outside Moscow. It is a particularly sturdy and clever little camera based on the original Leica camera concept, but taken one step further to become a true SLR with a fixed eyelevel pentaprism finder, yet rather basic in the mechanical design department, and it arrived too early for the upcoming innovations. Although having a different lens flange to film plane register, the lensmount is a 39mm screw mount, excluding all Leica fit lenses except for close up work. The removable base plate is identical in size to that on the Leica, but not interchangeable. The outer body, including the mirror housing, is a one piece alloy casting, the top cover is in two pieces, while inside, the shutter crate is a separately cast unit. The KMZ is one of the early pioneers in the field of 35mm SLR’s, Zenit being the ninth 35mm SLR camera brand introduced, excluding a few exotic and scarce models, mainly from central Europe, and it is the second to appear from this country, the first being the less impressive GOMZ Sport. Its better known contemporaries are the Asahiflex and the Contaflex. The Zenit, the name engraved in Cyrillic letters on the prism housing front, is the first in a long and popular series of cameras gradually evolving throughout the remaining period of the past century. The first improvement was to include flash synchronization with the model Zenit C. After ten years a completely new and improved camera body was introduced with a hinged back for film loading. Like most Russian cameras the Zenit camera used a system where the first two numbers of the serial number plate (or part) was the year that the part was made, sometimes these parts could wait a couple of years before being fitted, for example 88xxxxxx was 1988. ZM39 SLR * Zenit 1 http://www.sovietleica.com/camerapedia/zenit/zenitboto.jpg * Zenit S (C) http://www.sovietleica.com/camerapedia/zenit/zenitcboto.jpg * Zenit 3 http://www.sovietleica.com/camerapedia/zenit/3boto.jpg * Zenit 3M http://www.sovietleica.com/camerapedia/zenit/3mboto.jpg * Kristall (Crystal) http://www.sovietleica.com/camerapedia/zenit/kristalboto.jpg Leaf shutter SLR * Zenit 4 * Zenit 5 * Zenit 6 Breech/M42/Bayonet Triple Mount SLR * Zenit 7 M42 SLR * Meprozenit E * Meprozenit Pro * Zenit 11 * Zenit 12 *Zenit 12SD (Cyrillic 12CD) *Zenit 12XP * Zenit 122 * Zenit 15 * Zenit 16 * Zenit 18 * Zenit 19 *Zenit T-1 * Zenit 312M * Zenit 412DX * Zenit 412LS * Zenit B (Cyrillic V) * Zenit BM * Zenit E * Zenit EM * Zenit ET * Zenit TTL * Zenit Photosniper BelOMO made Zenits *Zenit 11 Made by KMZ also *Zenit 11 Labo *Zenit 15M *Zenit 12XS *Zenit 21XS *Zenit 122 Made by KMZ also *Zenit ET Made by KMZ also *Zenit TTL Made by KMZ also *Zenit 12PRO & Zenit 12XSL Designed by BelOMO and made in Brazil *Albar 15 K-mount SLR * Zenit 14 * Zenit 20 * Zenit 21 * Zenit 122k * Zenit 212k * Zenit 22 * Zenit AM * Zenit AM2 * Zenit APk * Zenit Automat * Zenit KM Prototype SLR (Never or only a few produced) * Zenit 11 (1964) * Zenit 15 * Zenit 2000 * Zenit 66 * Zenit 9 * Zenit D Automat * Zenit Pre-series * Zenit T1-MTL Compact 35mm * Zenit 510 * Zenit 520 * Zenit 610 * Zenit 620 Bibliography * Princelle, Jean-Loup. The Authentic Guide to Russian and Soviet Cameras. Hove Foto Books, 2nd edition, 1995. 200 pages. ISBN 1874031630. Links * KMZ homepage. * Instructions Manuals from KMZ R&D Center (Russian website, some manuals in English). * KMZ/Zenit cameras and user manuals on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand. * Russian camera instruction manuals in English including various Zenits on Mike Butkus' Oprhan Cameras. * Zenit cameras - including list of alternative brand names by Andrey Bliznyuk * Zenit Camera Manuals (PDF) : Photo-Manuals.com * JM Burtscher's Sovietcamera website in French. * Zenit page on Sovietcams.com. * Zenit page on the Antique Soviet Camera Resource. * The largest database Screw Mount M42 (lenses) compatible and K/PK (In english and French) Category: Former USSR Category: KMZ Category: Topography * Category: Z